They insist on that coating because they can market it as ANTI-BACTERIAL. That stuff is a gimmick and does not work at all. It is all for marketing so they can slap that on and claim that it destroys 99.99 percent of bacteria. What a joke. Sure.. it might destroy it during the manufacturing process, but once its in the users hands.. it does nothing afterwards.. they put that there because there are people who think that once this coat of slime is applied that no matter what gets on it and whoever is typing, it will ensure all the pathogens are destroyed. They can then charge a premium for it. That is the only reason they have it still applied even with the complaints. Its just like what manufacturers do with frozen french fries, slap on a big print that says NO CHOLESTROL, well guess what.. potatoes do not have cholestrol..